County Chief Financial Officer

Click here to view the County Chief Financial Officer brochure.

The County of Ventura offers an attractive compensation and benefits package. The salary range for this position is $229,553 to $337,476 annually, DOQ. An employee in this position will also be eligible for the following:

• General Salary Increase: A general salary increase of 3.5%, effective December 20, 2026, and 3.5%, effective December 19, 2027.
• Educational Incentive: may be eligible for 2.5%, 3.5%, or 5%, based on completion of an associate's, bachelor's, or graduate degree from an accredited institution, not required for the position.
• Retirement/Social Security: Defined retirement benefits vest after 5 years of service. The County and you also each contribute to Social Security. For more information, visit: www.vcera.org. If you are eligible, you may establish reciprocity with other public retirement systems, such as CalPERS. 
• Health Plans: Medical, dental, and vision plans for you and your dependents. A flexible credit allowance of up to $1,024.11 biweekly.
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Increase your spending power by reimbursing you with pre-tax dollars for IRS-approved dependent care and health care expenses.
• Executive Annual Leave: 248 hours earned per year, increasing to 288 hours after 5 years of service, to 328 hours after 10 years of service, and to 368 hours after 15 years of service. Credit for prior public service may be considered (Management Resolution, § 1202A).
• Annual Leave Redemption: The ability to "cash out" or redeem up to 100 hours of Annual Leave per year after using 80 hours. (Management Resolution, § 1207)
• Holidays: 13 paid days per year, including 1 floating holiday to use at your discretion.
• Auto Allowance: $575 per month.
• Deferred Compensation: You may elect to contribute to one or both of the County's deferred compensation plans (established under Internal Revenue Code sections 401(k) and 457). If you participate in the County-sponsored 401(k) plan, the County will match a part of your contribution up to 3% of your salary, on a per-pay-period basis. Following 5 years of continuous County service, an additional 2% non-elective contribution will be made to the 401(k) plan.
• Other benefits include: Disability Plans; Employee Assistance Program; County-paid Life Insurance; County-paid membership in professional organizations (related to position); Tuition Reimbursement; Benefit Reimbursement Program; Wellness Program; and WorkLife Program, which includes child care and elder care referrals.

The Position

The County Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is an executive-level leader who assumes overall fiduciary responsibility for the County’s financial operations and directs the countywide budget architecture. Working in close partnership with the County Executive Officer (CEO), the CFO leads the compilation, balancing, and issuance of the Preliminary Recommended Budget for annual public hearings, reviews all department and agency submittals, and presents formal budget recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.

Serving as the principal architect of the County’s fiscal sustainability, the CFO oversees long-term and short-term debt management—including borrowing evaluations, bond issuances, debt service administration, and direct engagement with credit rating agencies, institutional investors, and the public. In addition, the CFO directs the development of multi-year financial forecasts, fiscal impact analyses, and General Fund General Purpose Revenue modeling to project the downstream effects of policy decisions.

Beyond core accounting and budgeting, the CFO coordinates countywide cost allocation schedules, rates, and user fees, ensures rigorous regulatory and grant compliance, and represents the CEO on key interagency committees and regional financing authorities.

The ideal candidate is a politically astute, forward-thinking public finance executive with a proven record of managing complex multi-fund operations, overseeing effective asset management, and championing long-term fiscal sustainability within a high-functioning budget and finance team. Serving as a trusted fiduciary advisor to the County Executive Officer and the Board of Supervisors, the CFO brings deep technical mastery in balancing major operating and capital budgets, conducting multi-year expense and revenue forecasting, strengthening fiscal sustainability, and directing debt portfolios and rating agency engagements. Adept at navigating state and federal mandates, this strategic problem-solver translates intricate fiscal impact analyses and General Fund projections into clear, data-driven policies that protect the County’s financial resilience.

Recruitment Schedule: This position is open on a continuous basis; applicants are encouraged to apply promptly for immediate consideration. This position may close without notice. 

• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Accounting, Finance, Public Administration, Business Administration, Economics, or a closely related field.
• Seven (7) years of progressively responsible executive or senior-level financial management experience in a complex public-sector agency (or comparable large-scale, multi-funded organization).

• Direct oversight of operational and capital budget development and analysis, fiscal forecasting, cost accounting, workload metrics, reimbursement streams, and enterprise financial systems.
• At least three (3) or more years of experience supervising professional-level finance/accounting staff and managing cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated experience reporting to, or working regularly and closely with, a principal executive officer (e.g., County Executive/Administrator, Assistant Director, or elected governing board).

• A Master’s degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related discipline.
• Active credentialing as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO).

To APPLY for this pinnacle opportunity, please submit a resume and cover letter that illustrate your qualifications for the position:

Submit in one of the following ways:  Submit your resume and cover letter online at http://www.venturacounty.gov/jobs, or email them to [email protected]. 

This recruitment will remain open until filled. The first resume review will occur the week of November 2, 2026. Application materials submitted after that date will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

The County reserves the right to advance exceptionally qualified candidates forward in the process at any time, regardless of the review schedule. To receive prompt consideration, please submit your materials by the first review date. All relevant experience, training, and education must be included to determine eligibility.

For more information about this position, please contact Bill Friedel at (805) 654-2419 or at [email protected].

Interview Process

Well-qualified candidates, as evidenced by their résumés, may be invited to an initial screening interview, which may be conducted by phone, one-way video, or another format at the County's discretion. Candidates who advance will be invited to an in-person panel interview, and top finalists will then meet with the County Executive Officer for a final interview. The interview process may be consolidated or expanded based on the size and quality of the candidate pool.

Background Investigation

The selected candidate may be subject to a thorough background investigation, which may include inquiries into past employment, education, criminal history, and driving record. In addition, the successful candidate will undergo DOJ/FBI Live Scan fingerprinting.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability, family or medical leave status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital or medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy-related conditions), or sexual orientation.